The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: 24/04/12

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 512

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia/Romance/Fiction

Synopsis: Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. 

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters. 

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. 

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. 

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My Review: I'd first like to thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this before the release date and I have to say I was blown away completely. 

If you think you know vampire fiction and you think you've read it all; you really haven't. This is most definitely no Twilight in any way, shape or form.

The Immortal Rules is harsh, brutal and at times terrifying and with enough peril to shock your heart. However, it is also tender and romantic at times (and with no insta-love in sight, thank goodness!).

So much happens in this book yet it doesn't feel over packed, nor is there any info dumping and I found that the world building and explanations of terms and the post-apocalyptic society were explained very well without being boring.  The world Julie has created here is terrifying, easy to picture and I'm sure most people will find nightmarish. 

Not only is it an exceptional vampire novel, there are zombie like creatures too! 

The main protagonist Allie is everything I love in a main character. She's strong and yet vulnerable to human weakness just like everyone else in the world. She messes up, she can be selfish at times and yet ultimately it's her selflessness that shines through and I have huge respect for flawed imperfect characters. 

Zeke was another favourite of mine and, though at one point I did want to hit him, most of the time I was pretty much in love with him :)

The romance isn't over the top and is very well done. If your looking for instant love with 'I can't live without you' within 50 pages then this isn't the book for you. However, if you love your gently paced relationships with realism then you will love the romance aspect of this book.

I could sing the praises of this book for ages but I'm going to have to shut up as I have a strict no spoilers policy for books that are pre-release.

Simply put, if you love Julie's other books, you will love this!  Aaargggghhh now I have to wait for book two :(

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Romance/Fiction

OMG, this book had me laughing, crying and a bit inbetween, but a lot of the time I was just terrified and utterly fascinated by the world that Miss DeStefano has created, and it isn't one I would personally like to live in. Some people who have already read this may disagree with me, but I think I value my freedom too highly.

Set in a world where genetic engineering has gone wrong, in which men only live to aged 25 and women to aged 20 before they die of a horrible virus. Terrified that the human race will die out, young girls are taken as brides or are kidnapped for the sole purpose of marriage and children. Rhine is 16 when she is kidnapped and married to a wealthy man named Linden and although he treats her kindly she longs to be free to find her brother; Rowan. Can she really escape the mansion that has become her prison and be with the servant Gabriel, who she has feelings for before time runs out?

As I've previously mentioned, I had so many mixed emotions about this book and I remember clearly in one chapter that begins with: 'Jenna was right...' I was in floods of tears (though I won't post spoilers by saying why!)  In contrast, some instances left me laughing, including the fact that of all the things an 18 year old girl would ask for, she asks for a trampoline...awesome.
On a more serious note, I found the setting of the novel to be very claustrophobic and I really felt for Rhine (who at one point wasn't even allowed a window open). I could never live in a house where I wasn't allowed to walk where I wanted, choose what I wanted to wear or even breath in the night air through an open window.

I've read a lot of reviews about this book and a few people have said that they would be content with the pampered lifestyle. After reading this, I can safely say I wouldn't be, in fact, I think I'd go crazy and fling myself through the closed window and onto the previously mentioned trampoline :-) I totally empathise with Rhine and throughout the novel I was routing for her to escape both Linden and his father (who I hate by the way).
I think the other thing that creeped me out was the 'experiments' carried out by Linden's father. I still don't know exactly what these entail and part of me is dreading the day I find out, although maybe the truth isn't as bad as my imagination.

Relationship wise, I loved the bond that Rhine slowly developed with her Sister Wives and the sense of kinship was rather wonderful towards the rear end of the novel. To me though, I saw them only as sisters rather than sister wives, simply because of how close they were. Jenna was probably my favourite simply because of how matter of fact she was and yet she was still there for Rhine when she needed her. Cecily, on the other hand, is a prime example of why 13-year-old's are too young for marriage and children and I shall say no more in-case I spoil something.
The relationship between Rhine and Linden was a bit strange, but I still liked it to a certain extent, but not as much as her relationship with Gabriel.  I did like the forbidden love aspect between Gabriel and Rhine and how they were willing risk so much for freedom and to be together; being a romantic, I loved how their story developed.

I could go on forever, but if I do I know I will end up posting spoilers so I'm going to stop there. This is an emotive, thought provoking and slightly terrifying novel that will, at times, chill you to the core and yet at other times really warm your heart.

Predators of Darkness: Aftermath by Leonard D. Hilley

Target Audience: Adults
Genre: Horror/Sci-fi/Dystopia

I'd like to start by thanking Mr Hilley for asking me to review his novel and for allowing me to publish my review on my blog. I will now go on to say that this is a brilliant read and definitely one for lovers of sci-fi and horror, oh, and talking cats!
Before going on I'll give you a brief spoiler-free synopsis and I am also going to warn that this book contains content of an adult nature and some bits that some teenage or younger readers may find upsetting.

Following a missile strike, the inhabitants of Pittsburgh now live in the research center hiding from monsters that now stalk the streets. These creatures known as Shifters are able to change shape at will and get stronger feeding off other creatures. Daniel, the leader of the group of survivors discovers that Pittsburgh is fenced off and that nothing is as it seems leading them all to question whether the Shifters were an accident or whether they were placed there on purpose.

This book struck me as very different from a lot of other horror/sci-fi novels I have read in my time and it really took me by surprise. I am going to be honest and say that It took me a few chapters to get into it and there was a strong macho air about the story (for example, women fighting to be with the men they wanted and men fighting to be at the top of the pecking order) but this was a minor niggle for me and it didn't take anything from the plot.  The story moved quickly and without any jumping around, which was a relief and I was reading very fast towards the end as the pieces came together and everything made complete sense.

There were some instances that had me absolutely horrified and scared out of my skin. I have a very active imagination so anything I read I can picture very clearly and the thought of monsters running around eating people and humans becoming monsters terrified me to no end.
The writing is very well done and I couldn't help but imagine how these people were living and I had a strong sense of claustrophobia just reading about the living conditions.

On a character front I have to say that there are a lot of them but only a few are looked at closely. Those few including Daniel, Lucas, Dr Helmsby, Julia, Johanna and a few others, the rest of them are touched upon but aren't focused upon as much.
On the Shifter side of things very few of them are focused on and  I can't say who or what without spoiling the plot for those who haven't read it, so I'm keeping my fingers away from the keyboard in that area.
The thing I liked the best in this book though...the talking cat! Yes, there's a talking cat called Morton! This alone is a reason to read this book, he's awesome :-)

Anyway, in all seriousness, if you love your sci-fi, horror and a dash of romance and some truly creepy and scary scenes definitely give this a read. I will definitely be reading the next in the series.

Numbers 3: Infinity by Rachel Ward

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Thriller/Dystopia


This is the third in the Numbers series and yet this installment is as original and as enthralling as the other two! I have tried several times to right my own synopsis but I keep failing to sum it up so for once I'm going to use the synopsis on Goodreads to avoid any spoilers:




"Post-Chaos 2029. Adam, Sarah and Mia are living together, struggling with the fame of seeing numbers - the dates when people will die. But something is about to tear them apart. During The Chaos Mia swapped her number for another. Suddenly her powerful new ability makes her a terrifying target. Everyone wants to live for ever."


So that's the story in a nutshell but there is so much more to it than that and it's going to be difficult to review without spoiling anything. It almost makes me wish I could go back to the days when I did post spoilers and put a warning on the post, but I don't want to do that with this because I think everyone should be able to read this.  So...what can I tell you?
Two years have passed since The Chaos and things in the UK still haven't picked up, most of the cities have emptied and civilians are living in tents in the country and some people are law unto themselves and I found this terrifying especially considering what then happens to Mia, Sarah and Adam and what they go through in this book.


As with the other books I was stunned the issues that Miss Ward manages to tackle in here while still being sensitive. In the last book we saw Child abuse and rape among other things. In this we see some truly horrifying and sensitive topics handled very carefully and yet in such a way that they are still able to shock and stun the reader without being overbearing.
For some people these issues may be too hard to handle, but for me it highlighted some seriously twisted aspects of human nature that are more common than most of us would care to admit or see even when faced with them.  You may be reading this thinking: 'Why would I read this?' Simply because this is a fantastic story and in the end this is a story of Good Vs Evil and despite the horrifying and gut wrenching parts you will feel so warmed by the ending.


If I were to generalise this novel I would say it's a thriller set in a dystopian world, but in fairness there is much more to this than meets the eye. This isn't just a thriller, it's a story of desperation, human nature, survival but also love, hope and family something that becomes all the more important in the world in which this is set.
 The characters are fantastic, especially Adam, Mia and Sarah and we see some new ones too (not all of which are good) including Saul, Daniel and a rather irritating and evil man named Newsome and they all play their parts in the events that occur. 


All in all this is a powerful and emotive read which will have your heart racing at a ridiculous speed. It has an amazing ending, one death scene you will never forget and a heart wrenching twist that will shock you to the core. Amazing novel and full marks!

Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopia



After waiting quite a while, Outside In finally appeared in the UK bookstores so I snatched it while I could. Was it as good as it's prequel? NO! It was much BETTER!!!  I don't know what it was, but despite the fact the first book was very tense, this was even more so.
There were so many twists and turns and accusations thrown around by the characters that I didn't know which way to look next!

Outside In is set a little while after Inside Out. Trella is part of a committee along with several others, but Inside is still restless and a lot of the citizens still see themselves as uppers and scrubs. As unexplained incidents continue to happen, and Trella gets caught up in the middle of it all, it soon becomes clear that there is an outside  force at work, and they want to come in.

I loved the tension in this book and it kept me so strung out that I couldn't put it down and with so many different things happening I found it impossible to judge what was happening next, who was causing what problem and who were the good guys and bad guys.  At one point I even thought Riley might have been up to something!
Maria's writing ability is second to none and she is an incredible story teller. So few authors have had me so all over the place when reading a novel and yet I still had no desire to flick to the back and find out the what happened in the end. In some books this may have been a bad move and have caused a loss of interest, but in 'Outside In' it just creates more tension and pulls you deeper into the story. I lost count of how many times I guessed wrongly who was behind the sabotage (much to my annoyance because I love to guess right!)

The characters stayed very true to form in this novel, but having said that there was still some development. I got to see Trella making changes, bad guys doing good things and apparent good guys being bad guys (I won't say who since I pride myself on being spoiler free!)
I also managed to go from hating Dr Lamont to loving her which is odd for me; I'm a pretty stubborn person and to do a complete opinion change on a character take a lot of persuasion, but having said that, she does redeem herself pretty well.
Trella and Riley also face challenges  and I found it fascinating to watch how they both changed by the end of the novel, both for the better and I'd definitely consider the ending amazing. Whether it's happy or not, well I'll leave that for you to decide, but I loved it.

If you like science-fiction, romance, exploring tunnels, being sneaky and a great thrill-ride of a novel then give this a go, but make sure you read 'Inside Out' first or it won't make sense!

Plague by Michael Grant

Target Audience: Older Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia


Wow, what can I say about this book? It's brilliant, completely ingenious in-fact...BUT please do not read while your eating...You WILL be sick :-)
Anyway, I love this series and it seems to get better with each installment, and the pace is so quick that I managed to read a 300 page chunk in one evening alone, something I'm very proud of myself.

To catch everyone up for those who haven't read the synopsis; Plague picks up after the events of Lies. Drake is imprisoned in a basement trying to escape, while the girl he's blended with screams for death. Little Pete is in a coma, and Astrid and Sam (as well as half the rest of the kids) are not getting along so well, as even more fights and fractions occur.
Meanwhile, a very deadly strain of flu is going around and to make things worse, a new threat emerges, and this one is intent on eating people from the inside out.

Now if your not quite grossed out enough by the final sentence of my synopsis then you should be because it is as gross as it sounds, so seriously, read this, it's epic.  Am I a little twisted? Maybe! But you can't deny the fact that Mr Grant is a master writer and the plot had me sucked in from the word go. There's no preamble, no babble, he jumps straight in there and that's how the pace continues and it will probably leave you breathless.

I didn't think it was possible for there to be any more twists than there had been, but urgh, the bugs, urgh, don't get me started on the bugs! As for Little Pete, his purpose also took a terrifying turn and I found the short chapters from his perspective really enlightening. As for the general plot surrounding the FAYZ, there is quite a bit revealed and a little idea as to the true purpose of the Barrier and the area enclosed, I found it truly fascinating and horrifying at the same time.

It is, in my opinion, the characters that really make this book what it is, as it often is in a lot of cases. There are so many in this book that in all reality it should be very difficult to keep up with everything, but it really isn't, and despite the number of people there is, I still felt myself getting attached to them.  In some cases this proved to be a very sad experience as in true Gone series style, a few of them meet very untimely ends.  But in other cases, this made a great impact on how I experienced some of the events that happened.
I grew really attached to Diana in this book and I really felt for her by the time I turned the last page, I also felt a lot more for Astrid than I'm used too and I had massive respect for her and the choice she makes towards the end.

I can't really say anymore without giving away the plot, but seriously, Gone fans, read this! If your new to this series start with the first in the series. one word: EPIC!
Anyway, enough said, I shall now be silent :-)

Beautiful Sins: Leigha Lowery by Jennifer Hampton (Review request from author)

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Fantasy

First of all I'd like to thank Jennifer for sending me this book for me to read, one because I love reading and two because this was one of my favourite books of the year so far :-)
I read a lot of fantasy, dark fantasy and dystopia novels and this one managed to blend all of this with a healthy dose of romance.

Beautiful Sins starts with a young girl called Leigha who moves with her mother and her mothers new boyfriend to Banks, Oregon where the skies are covered in dark cloud and myths and superstitions are everywhere. Leaving her home behind, and starting a new school, Leigha quickly finds out that things aren't as they seem and soon finds herself attracting the attention of Prince Alexander, son of the ruling king of the dark coast, and as time goes on she realises that there's more to her new home than she realised.

There wasn't one bad thing about this book, it was well written and very easy to read. I was so absorbed in the story that I lost track of time really quickly and had to remind myself that I was due at work :-p

Leigha was a wonderful main lead, although she strikes me as a magnet to accidents since I lost track of the number of times she lost consciousness, but in honesty with the things that happen to her, I'm not really surprised, and it was a relief to have a character reacting normally to stress rather than being super strong and resilient. I mean, I'd like to see any normal person stay conscious on having your whole world tipped upside down.

The story itself was fantastic and I loved all the twists and turns and the each revelation, I found the world that Jennifer has created to be truly fascinating and I found it easy to imagine the world in the way it's described.  Part of me would love to visit Banks as it is in this book, just to see it for myself, I imagine it would be pretty exciting and yet very scary,
If you want to read a book that takes old ideas of Vampires, Were's and dystopia worlds and then breathes new life into them...Read this book! It's fast paced, a little scary, romantic, has some seriously hot men in it (swooning for Alex here!) and has a cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge of your seat. An excellent novel, and I can't wait to read more of Miss Hampton's work.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Romance



Lauren Oliver's books have been on my to-read list for ages, but I had such a backlog that I had to let my younger sister read this first. I'm nice like that :-)

Lena is a 17-year-old girl living in Portland, America. She has an older sister, a best friend, a home and a family. The one major difference between her world and this one? She lives in a world where love is forbidden. Now only 95 days from the procedure that will make her to unable to love, she does the last thing she imagined she'd do, she falls in love.

One of the things I really really liked about this book was Lena herself. She was so refreshingly normal; she screamed, she cried, she raged, she felt and most importantly she loved and this made the book all the more human and believable. No one about to undergo such a traumatic procedure and to suffer what she suffered would just breeze through life. That's not how life works, and too many authors have fearless heroine's and it drives me nuts! Lauren is not guilty of this, simply put, she's a very clever and very emotional writer.

The story itself was really good for the most part and the world building was fantastic. It did slow down a little at times and I found myself sort of drifting a little, but this is a minor complaint, as with any first novel in a series there is quite a bit of description of both characters and back story.
To me it was the concept itself that really dragged me in and I could feel the closed in feeling eminating from Lena, Alex and Hana.
The relationship between Lena and Alex reminded me a little of Romeo and Juliet; the forbidden meetings and hiding how they felt, were very reminiscent of Shakespeare's tragedy. Other than that slight similarity in the relationship though, everything else is completely different, and very beautiful.
I really felt for Lena, I couldn't help it, the frustration of having the people who should be closest to you treating you like an almost stranger must be incredibly painful and very difficult to deal with.

On a more personal basis, the idea of being devoid of love just seems empty to me, and this book really brought the concept home. No matter how much heartache I might suffer in my life, I would never wish to be without emotions, the idea wouldn't even compute in my brain, so to read this felt like experiencing a nightmare. Im slightly claustrophobic and this book really made me feel it, whether your trapped physically or emotionally, it is a devastating thing to feel.

Anyway, I'll stop my babbling and just say, this is an amazing novel with some truly frightening ideas, a beautiful love story, some thrilling action and a lesson in love that I will never forget.
I can't wait for the next in the series.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopia


I'd heard raving reviews about this novel for so long and it took me ages to get a copy. It wasn't until I was going bowling in Ashford that I happened to drop by the Waterstones in there, and found it sitting on the shelf. I mean, I was on a 'book buying ban' but it was looking at me, and I couldn't stop myself :-)
Anyway, it does, for the most part, live up to the hype and i found myself eerily entranced reading this as well as horrified in certain instances.
It was so captivating, for example, events would be pretty steady and then some tragedy would suddenly pop out of no-where and make me feel like I'd been kicked in the gut.

But before I go any further i'll give a brief synopsis, just to give you an idea.
Life As We Knew It is set in modern times and the world is about to watch a meteorite crash into the moon, seemingly with no side-effects. Focusing on Miranda and told from her point of view in the form of a journal, this novel describes the events that occur after the moon is knocked closer to earth, and the tragedies that unfold, changing life on earth forever.

The actual blurb on the book is short and too the point, which, is definitely a good thing as it leaves a lot more to the imagination before you read it, which is very important when it comes to the surprise factor.
It isn't just the shock/surprise factor that this book has down to an art, but the author has managed to create a tense environment through Miranda's diary entries. As in the way of a teenager, some of her diary entries are very angst ridden and might seem selfish, but then I remembered that she's living in a changed world and dealing with unusual circumstances.

The only issue I really had with this novel was the lulls in the story. Sometimes, it would seem to drag in parts and certainly some of the entries did tend to ramble a little and maybe it's just me, but I guess I have difficulties with that type of writing style, but it hasn't put me off enough not the read the next in the series, as this is a truly extraordinary novel.
Moving swiftly on, I found the atmosphere truly electric reading this, I could almost picture some of the things as they happened and each and every disaster that occurred made me feel like I'd been kicked, and each death made me feel like my stomach dropped a few inches inside of me.
One disaster in particular really cut me deep and I found myself fighting tears, I won't say what happened, but the worst part was the character was in and out like a yo-yo, yet it still took me by surprise.

I will say that the tension never seemed to break at all whilst reading this, it was terrifying at times, and the fact that this could actually happen is insanely scary.
Anyway, I'll finish this review and say that this is a really really good read. The ending is very well done as well and it gives, not exactly closure, but some sense that things might get better.
Anyway, go read it!

If I Could Fly by Jill Hucklesby

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia



When i first started reading this I wasn't sure what to think. I think the main issue was that I'm not used to the particular writing style that was used, but once i did get used to it I fell in love with story and I completely understood why it had to be written the way it was.
In fact, I'm going to have major trouble writing a review that doesn't give away spoilers because a massive part of the book is such a surprise that i was left completely stunned, and in honesty, I wouldn't have seen it coming even if I'd dared to let my imagination look that far ahead.

In summary, If I Could Fly is about a young girl called Calypso who finds herself alone and in a deserted area with no memory of how she got there at all. All she knows is that she's hiding and running from something but she isn't sure what yet. She remembers her mother, her father and that she was part of a free-running gang, and her past, but nothing recently.
The book itself unfolds as Cali remembers things, and yet this does nothing to give away the big twist at the end, and i loved that about this novel.  The way the truth comes out is beautifully and cleverly done and Jill deserves an award for her writing skills.
When the twist is finally revealed, your jaw will drop (probably literally) and you'll then think back the earlier events and think, Why didn't I think of that? But in honesty, the clues were so cleverly hidden and well woven throughout the novel that there is no way of deducing the truth.

Since i can't say anything else about the plot without giving away the punchline (so to speak!) I shall delve into the characters.  Calypso, or Cali, for short is a wonderful heroine and i loved the way she dealt with everything she encountered. There were many incidents that would have caused a full grown adult to panic, yet Cali doesn't falter. Don't get me wrong, she isn't perfect and she makes some strange choices and decisions at times, but to me, her mistakes give her character a humanity that a lot of other characters across other books, lack.
Cali's mother, although not very present in the story, was a major focus point for Cali. She was the reason she kept going a lot of the time, and i found her cultural background fascinating. I learnt a lot about Thailand and Cali's and her mothers beliefs simply reading this book.  Also, the love that her mother had for Cali is truly beautiful, and i gained the impression that she would have gone to ends of the earth for her daughter.
My other favourtite characters were Alfie and Dair, both of whom are completely different to each other. Dair is a bit crazy (but very amusing) whereas Alfie is a loyal and amazing friend who helps Cali make some very difficult decisions.

Overall, i was left very impressed with this book, and i was amazed by the authors writing talent and her ability to write in such beautiful prose.  The ending left me feeling pretty happy and hopeful and with room to imagine what happens next, which is how i like to leave a book sometimes. Imagination, to me, plays a very important part in reading. I will most definitely be checking out whatever Miss Hucklesby writes next!

Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Fantasy/Sci-fi

Inside Out grabbed my attention on so many levels, not just because of the insanely unique storyline, but also because of the way it made me feel by reading it. Now usually, i'll say a book made me feel happy, sad, or made me laugh, or something along those lines. In this case, the imagery and the events are so well written, i felt claustrophobic!
Just the thought of being stuck in Inside had me shudder, mainly because i hate small spaces, but regardless of that this book is so descriptive I easily imagined the world Trella was living in and nothing could have prepared me for the revelations at the end.

Trella is a Scrub, one of many people living in the lower levels of inside and brought up to do manual labour, waste, cleaning and other such tasks. Like all the other scrubs, she does her job and keeps to herself, not caring much about anyone. Or at least she tries to, that is until a prophet claims to know how to get Outside and her friend Cogon gets her to listen to him. One small trip to prove the prophet wrong leads Trella into a dangerous series of events and starts a rebellion so huge it has the power to change Inside forever, as she tries to find a way to Outside.

If I had to pick only one thing to praise any of Maria's books it's the quality of world building and the characters. Very few authors can describe a world so well that you can almost imagine the rigid shape of Inside, the smell of the air and imagine the way in which the lower levels are treated like cattle. I could easily picture Trella climbing through pipes and ducts and I loved the sense of excitement and tension as the story progressed and she relied more and more on her hidey holes and escape routes, the feeling of being cornered and trapped a huge theme in this novel.
And it wasn't just the themes and surroundings, it was the actual world. Sex is only for producing children, babies snatched from their parents, ridiculous punishments for silly mistakes and very cruel pop cops. To say i was left horrified in some instances was an understatement. Yet don't let that depress you, there is a lot of uplifting moments, friendships and loyalty throughout to balance out the more saddening parts of the novel.

As for the characters, the most amazing thing is that all of the characters in this book are flawed to some extent. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with perfect people, but since people aren't perfect I prefer characters to be at least a little flawed. Trella, despite being a wonderful hero makes mistakes and messes up frequently, yet this did not take away anything from her character. To me it was a wonderful reminder that those who make a big difference are often imperfect. It's a comforting thought.
With regards to the other characters, I have to admit I have never seen such a varied and colourful cast as I have in this book.  Whether it's the bad guys or the good guys, there's no doubt that a lot of thought went in to        each and every one of them.
Cogon was a personal favourite of mine and I loved his positive attitude and his willingness not to give up, he was a big force behind Trella whenever she nearly gave up, and more than often he sacrificed a lot to keep her safe, the ultimate mark of a true friend.
The two Tech-No's Logan and Jade-Anne were wonderful as well and i absolutely loved there rebellion among the recycling, it takes re-using broken goods to a whole new level and some of the things they invented  were completely awesome and really made me wish I could have them.
Broken Man was a character that, at times, drove me nuts. He could be so helpful at times but at others just annoying and making stupid mistakes (such as hacking things before he's supposed to!) Ultimately though he was a great guy, even if he did make rather annoying demands at times (maybe I just have a problem with bossy people).
My other favourite character was Riley. Confident, loving and open minded, he was definitely the Ying to Trella's Yang, and she would never have been able to do what she did without his help. And the romance between himself and Trella was beautifully written and utterly believable. And I will never think of sheep in the same way again, because whenever I do I think of Sheepy :-)

Overall I have to admit I loved this novel and I will most definitely be reading the sequel; Outside In.
If I were to sum up this book in a five words I would describe it as exciting, inspirational, romantic, pulse-racing and utterly fantastic.
Maria has once again written a truly amazing and awe inspiring work of fiction.

Matched by Ally Condie

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Romance/Dystopia

I'm writing this on New Years Eve as my last review of 2010 (yeah!) and i have to admit I couldn't have picked a better book to go out with a bang on.
Matched is original, meaningful, moving, suspenseful and romantic, and it stands out brilliantly from all the other dystopia YA books.

Set far into the future, the world has been split into provinces and society makes all the decisions for us. Perhaps the most disturbing feature in this society is that they also decide who each individual will be partnered and married to, how many kids they will have, when they will die, the professions they work in and even the clothes they wear.
Obviously the most central part of this novel revolves around the Matching process, in which Cassia is matched with her best friend Xander.  Now this is all fine until she looks at the microcard with the data on her match and it flashes the face of another boy instead of Xander.  This particular person is Ky Markham and what follows is a journey of love, rebellion and discovery that is truly inspiring.

As well as the romance, there is a lot of world building and i found the idea of Cassia's world believable in the sense that politicians would stop at nothing to gain control of the world and to make all the major decisions in life.  I was also stunned by the cruelty of some of the people in this world, as they seemed to like to play games with those under there control, to the point where it could ruin lives.

The character building was brilliant and i was amazed by the complex relationships that were created and described throughout. My favourite characters by far were Cassia, Ky and Cassia's grandfather. The latter of which because of the inspiration he gave to Cassia through the only medium he could; poetry.
The words: "Do not go gentle into that dark night" still echo in my head, and there meaning even more so. Words of strength, rebellion and making your own choices by fighting for what you believe in, even if the choice is a difficult one.

It's hard to go on about this book too much without giving away any of the main plot lines, so your going to have to just take me at my word and believe me when i say this is an amazing book and you should give it a go!

The Dead by Charlie Higson

Target Audience: Older Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Horror/Dystopian

If you thought that The Enemy was very gory and frightening then this will terrify the hell out of you. Initially i thought this continued from the first in series, but it is actually a different set of kids from a different area, trying to escape to London, but a year before the events of the The Enemy. Don't get me wrong, the books are intertwined and things overlap slightly with some characters from the first novel appearing in this one, but in different ways.

In summary, The Dead is about a group of children who are at a boarding school in Kent at the time the infection starts and it begins with a flashback to the very start of the infection, with a youtube video, which to me served as a stark reminder of the modern time it't set in. Shortly after the outbreak, the boys at the school realise that there only chance is to leave their school and look for safety. Eventually, they decide on London and then the most terrifying, gory and emotional story i've read in a long time, begins.

If this one thing that makes these books so enthralling, it's the characters as well as the plot and Mr Higson is once again, not scared to kill off main characters. This in itself adds to the emotional impact when bad things happen. I found myself getting attached to characters only for them to die, and this really made me feel like my heart had been twisted and on one particular occasion i found myself in floods of tears.

The actual events roll along nicely and i loved how simply growm-up these children were in the face of disaster. Ultimately this book does score one for the kids of the world, showing them in a capable and responsible light, as they manage to get by without adults. Having said that, there is a bit more interaction with the adults in this novel and you get to find out a lot more about the infection and what causes some to get it, some not to and why different people react differently to the disease. The idea is very plausible and the setting is so modern that the possible realism of it scares me to a certain extent.

My favourite characters were Ed and Jack, i loved there complex friendship and how much they both change over the course of the novel. The way they dealt with things was very grown up and extraordinarily mature, probably even more mature than the adults if there were any sane ones left. I thought the story came together nicely at the end and it linked perfectly with the first book, this is most definately a must have for fans of the first book and of survival horror!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Fiction

Wow, this is going to be so difficult. There is so much i can say about this book, least of all that it swept me up into an emotional whirlwind and wouldn't let me go. As usual though i'll start with a brief summary.

Mockingjay continues a little while after the end of Catching Fire. Katniss is still recovering both physically and emotionally from the fallout of the most recent games, her rescue from the arena and losing Peeta to the enemies forces. The rebels are now in open war with the districts and the only one left to convert is district two and then the plan to finally invade and destroy the capitol begins...

I have to admit this book is totally amazing but not in a happy way. Infact, if you can read this without feeling emotionally drained and like your heart has been wrenched out and twisted then your much stronger than i am. I was exhausted after reading this, there were so many twists and unexpected turns of events i was left stunned (and that's putting it mildly)

I haven't read about so many deaths in a single book before and i have to admit, Collins took some serious risks with this book, she is certainly not afraid to sacrifice main characters in this book, yet i have to admit that all of it was necessary, however, very heartbreaking.

Just when i thought Katniss had endured enough hardship she gets put through hell another time and by the end i just wanted something good to happen to her. She loses so much and is left a completely different person by the end, changed by the atrocities she's witnessed.

The character development is profound in this and it was interesting to see some of the less seen characters in the other books develop and become somewhat stronger. Prim was a standout for me, i loved her growing maturity and selflessness and how she became someone for Katniss to lean on and talk to, rather than simply protect, although this all became bitterly twisted and ironic by the end of the book and i got the impression there relationship had come full circle.

The relationship Katniss has with Gale and Peeta takes it's twists and turns as well and i wasn't really surprised with who Katniss choses in the end, i really wasn't. She chose the person who would complete her and save her from herself ultimately, and it truly was a beautifully bittersweet conclusion.

Finally, i'll finish by saying that the final few chapters and epilogue had me in floods. Reading about Katniss coming to terms with everything, moving on and the events after the war is over were some of the most emotional events i have ever read about (The epilogue especially so two pages of tears for me).

This is one of the most moving, meaningful and utterly compelling reads of this century. If you haven't read this trilogy yet then give it a try. Admittedly it won't be for everyone but whether you enjoy it or not, it really is unforgettable and will change how you view the world and how we treat one another.

Phenomenal in every sense of the word.

Lies by Michael Grant

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Thriller


***Contains Multiple Spoilers***

WOW! I am so glad i ordered this and didn't wait for it to be released in the UK, otherwise i'd have been waiting a stupidly long time (yes, to me, 2 months is a long time!). Just when i thought Grant couldn't surprise me anymore, he goes and does it again, and i was left gaping with shock on several occasions at the twists and turns the storyline took, none of which i found predictable. To me it just seems as if this novel is one big roller coaster and there's no way, as a reader, i wanted to get off.

In order to give a bit more understanding i'll summarise some of the plot as succinctly as i can (i hope). Lies picks up a few months after Hunger finishes. The darkness is presumed dead, Drake is dead also and the 'human crew' are living on one side of town whereas the 'freaks' and 'friends of freaks' are living in the other. Things appear to have settled down, but cracks begin to show as the town council can't decide anything, Sam is frustrated with Zil and his crew and then to make matters worse Caine also gets involved, the result being a terrible fire that rages through Perdido Beach. As if that isn't enough Sam, and several others, glimpse Drake, the boy from most peoples nightmares, through the smoke of the burning town...

As well as the heart-racing plot there is also some fantastically written character development throughout. As a reader i found it fascinating to see the different sides of some of the more well known characters. Sam and Astrid were perhaps the most contrasting in this installment. Sam showing his very vulnerable yet resolute side and Astrid daring to admit that she's capable of failure and messing up. Other minor characters take more centre stage as well. Characters like Orsay and Mother Mary play extremely important roles to the plot this time, and in the case of Little Pete, once again he is a major factor in the events that occur.

With regards to character relationships, Sam and Astrid were once again a centre couple, even if they do spend a lot of the novel split up, thats only because it's extremely necessary to what happens and for the character development. My other stand out was Diana and Caine, their relationship is so unique (and slightly creepy) i can't help but wonder where it will go.

One of the most amazing things that occured to me was that fact that Little Pete, the little boy suffering Autism, is the one that in fact has the most power and manipulation. All the so called 'normal' kids are more often or not powerless to some extreme, yet this one little boy has the ability to change things. The idea of that to me is wonderful and if interpreted in a particular way sends the message that anyone can do something if they put their minds to it. Lets face it, it's all to easy to pick a dangerous character from someone whose strong and tell, a young child makes for a more unpredictable and interesting story.

There are, without doubt, some scenes that some readers will find disturbing, with themes such as suicide, starvation, cruelty and brutality. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the whole book has been cleverly and intelligently written. All i would say is that younger or sensitive readers read with caution!

Anyways, the next in the series is called Plague and i think it may have something to do with the illness thats starting to spread throughout this book, although i can't be sure. Still, i like to guess.

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Fantasy


'The Declaration' is one of those rare books that has the capability to change how you see the world and many of the things that happen within it, not to mention your own sense of morality.
Set in the year, 2140, drugs have been invented to stop people growing old or sick, but at a very high price. If someone wishes to take the longevity drugs then they must forfeit the right to have children, anyone who breaks this law ends up in prison and their children classed as surplus.
Anna is one such surplus who is brought up in a surplus hall with the others like her, and brought up to believe that her parents were selfish in having her and that she doesn't deserve a life accept to help those who are 'legal'. That is until Peter enters her life and starts to tell her things that will change her view on everything...

If there was one thing that i really liked about this book, it was the authors ability to spark a moral debate within a wonderfully written and well scripted story. On one side you have the grownups who believe they have the right to live because they were there first and on other you have the people who want a short life but want to have children (these are very few in number).
From my own personal point of view i'm firmly on the pro-children side of the debate, and i found it quite sad that most of the population wanted to live forever, as the thought of doing that myself honestly terrifies me, something that became very clear whilst reading this.

With regards to the characters, i found Anna rather likable, though if i'm honest i was a bit irritated with her good-girl attitude while in the surplus halls, but then i reminded myself she'd been brainwashed and it wasn't her fault, and i loved the way her character developed into a more confident person.
In Peter's case, i admired his bravery, not many people would deliberately get arrested just to break someone else out, but that's exactly what he does. Once the two of them together, the story really takes off as they plan their escape and how to start new lives, and their relationship really progresses throughout the book.

In rating this book i have to give it a high rating it was a beautifully told story, with elements of love, loyalty, morality and a sense of realism that is usually hard to emulate in a fantasy novel. Brilliant Book!

Gone by Michael Grant

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Thriller


Gone is one of those rare books that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it, or at least it did in my case.
In order to give a better understanding of my review i'm going to give a brief summary of the actual story and i'll try not to write any spoilers for those who haven't read it.

The events are set in the town of Perdido Beach in which nothing much really happens until everyone over the age of fourteen just vanishes into thin air. It happens suddenly and isn't built up to, like in most books, one minute the class teacher is there and literally a few lines down the first page, and he's gone.
No explanation, nothing.
Sam and several other children at the school then set out to explore the town, and the children soon discover that all the adults and teenagers who have reached fifteen have vanished all over town, not to mention that there's a barrier appeared around the edge that stops anyone leaving.
The nightmare doesn't stop there either and situation gets more bizarre as the novel goes on, introducing a darkness with a consciousness and talking coyotes among many other things.
What entails is a fight for survival and dominance as a group of other children try to take over Perdido Beach and enforce their own rules.

As described in the previously mentioned summary there's clearly a lot happening throughout and i have to admit i did have to really focus at points to keep up with the story, but this didn't bother me, because it was so brilliantly written.
Some of the ideas are so imaginative and sureal that i found myself gripped by them, and i was honestly terrified by the talking Coyotes, there was something about them i found profoundly creepy.

As well as the creepy enemies though, there's also the cast of amazing characters, ranging from the normal everyday sort of person to the kind with super powers.
The main characters include Sam (who has serious fire power), Astrid (the genius) and Quinn (Sam's best friend). On the side of the Boarding school children there are Caine (the ringleader who tries to control perdido beach), Drake (the psychopath who likes to hurt people) and Diana (the very smart but sometimes evil female of the group).
The clash between the two sides is electric, and makes for a brilliant plot line, but it is by far not the only thing happening and the novel deals with aspects such as survival, drink and eating disorders.
In light of the adults disapearing and with a lack of laws, you have children passing harsh punishments for 'law breakers', some kids turning to drink, and children with problems starting to spiral out of control.

It isn't all doom and gloom though, among the darkness there is definately humour to give more than a bit of light relief. One of the main messages is of hope and it is something that is reinforced throughout, that however bad things get, these kids fight like anything to survive.
Among all this, there is also a bit of romance between a couple of the characters and this too adds some cheeriness, along with the friendships that are forged between the children and the loyalty most of them show to one another.

All this together becomes an exciting, fast-paced, emotional and very meaningful adventure that definately made me think about a few things. How would we respond if nearly everyone vanished? Would we be able to control the nasty side of human nature if we had to survive in a dangerous environment?
The answer to those questions can't really be answered, but i've definately been prompted to think about them, and a lot more besides.

Excellent Read!

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults/Adults
Genre: Dystopia/Thriller/Horror

First things first, as a face value zombie horror it works well, and it did the job of scaring me and creeping me out, both in equal measure. It's been a while since i've felt genuine terror from reading a book, so for that Higson deserves to be congratulated. BUT, there is so much more to this book and it is that makes it so amazing.

The characters are varied and are related to in such a way you can't help but feel for them, even the ones that you really think you should hate (you'll understand what i mean when you read it). Unlike a lot of writers, Higson is not afraid to lose any of his characters and this makes the story all that more realistic and emotional. At some points i found myself so attached to some of them that when they died i found myself feeling quite upset. Despite the fighting and the violence, the more difficult issues are handled sensitively and with humanity and a way that really makes you care.

With regards to the title of the book, during the few chapters the obvious 'enemy' are the grown-ups, but the lines become blurred as the children quickly realise that enemies come in different shapes and sizes and it becomes clear that the 'enemy of your enemy' is not always your friend.

I can't say anymore without spoiling it, but this is one of the most revealing, emotional and action-packed books i've ever read. I can't wait until the next in the series.